Senators to Bureau of Land Management: Expedite environmental review

Senators Say Delay will Affect Oil and Gas Industry in Montana

(Washington D.C.) Montana’s U.S. Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester are pushing the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to finish environmental reviews and move forward quickly with the sale of 129 oil and gas leases in Montana and the Dakotas.

In a letter to BLM Director Bob Abbey, Baucus and Tester acknowledged the decision by the Bureau to complete required environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act in light of recent court decision, but asked for the review to be performed promptly.

“The issuance of these leases is an important part of Montana’s burgeoning oil and gas industry,” the Senators wrote.  “We appreciate your decision to complete the required environmental reviews … but we ask that you move forward expeditiously to complete your work and move forward with the lease sale as quickly as possible once those reviews are complete.”

Full text of the letter is included below:

The Honorable Bob Abbey
Director
Bureau of Land Management
Department of Interior
Washington, DC

Dear Director Abbey:

We are writing to you today regarding the Bureau of Land Management’s decision to delay the April 13th scheduled sale of 129 oil and gas leases in Montana and the Dakotas.

The issuance of these leases is an important part of Montana’s burgeoning oil and gas industry.  We appreciate your decision to complete the required environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in light of the recent court decisions, but we ask that you move forward expeditiously to complete your work and move forward with the lease sale as quickly as possible once those reviews are complete. 

Please keep us updated on your progress, and we look forward to working with you as this process moves forward.

Sincerely,

Sen. Max Baucus
Sen. Jon Tester